CASCA Software Documentation

Version 1-beta

Christoph C. Birk (birk AT carnegiescience DOT edu)


Location of this document: http://instrumentation.obs.carnegiescience.edu/Software/CASCA/casca.html


  • News
  • Software Documentation

  • Zwo-Server


    News

    v0019 (2020-08-24)
  • Use the CFITSIO library to write FITS files.
  • New COMPRESS keyword (see table).
  • The DETECTOR keyword defaults to the camera model (it used to default to 'ASI1600MM').
  • Download casca0019.tar.gz
  • v0013 (2019-10-29)
  • Take the first exposure (sequence) when the scheduler is started -- do not wait until "top of the hour".
  • Added meta data to the JPG (as filename.txt)
  • Download casca0013.tar.gz
  • v0012 (2019-08-16)
  • Daytime camera: Write JPEG files when compiled with -DWRITE_JPEG.
  • This option requires the "libjpeg" libray.
  • Added the DAY-GAIN, DAY-OFFSET and DAY-EXPTIME configuration keywords.
  • v0011 (2019-08-14)
  • Log the CCD-temperature and cooler-power while waiting to reach the setpoint.
  • Log the sun-elevation, CCD-temperature and cooler-power at the beginning of each sequence.
  • v0010 (2019-08-13)
  • Wait for the CCD-temperature to get within 0.5 deg [C] of the setpoint (or below).
  • Added the CCD-GAIN, CCD-OFFS, CCD-TEMP and CCD-COOL FITS keywords.
  • Added the BINNING configuration and FITS keyword.
  • v0009 (2019-08-06)
  • First beta version sent to Povilas (requires zwoserver-0020: zwo0020.tar.gz )

    v0007 (2019-08-06)
  • Query telescopes (Baade, Clay, DuPont, DIMM).
  • v0005 (2019-07-30)
  • Added color (daytime) camera.
  • v0004 (2019-07-29)
  • Added filter sequence to configuration file.
  • v0003 (2019-07-27)
  • Writes monochrome FITS files.
  • v0001 (2019-07-24)
  • Started coding the scheduler.

  • Software Documentation

    Command Line - Configuration - TCP/IP Server

    Command Line

    xterm> ./casca -c path
    
    -c: absolute path to configuration file (incl. the filename, eg. /home/birk/casca.conf)


    Configuration

    The configuration file (default: $HOME/casca.conf) is a plain ASCII file that consists of lines like
    keyword = value
    Keyword Value Default
    DATADIR absolute path eg. /home/birk/DATA $HOME
    COMPRESS use FITS file compression 0
    SITE site name (prefix for FITS files) lc
    SITELONG site longitude [deg] -70.69284
    SITELAT site latitude [deg] -29.01392
    SITEL site elevation (FITS only) 2405
    DETECTOR detector model from zwoserver/camera
    PIXSIZE pixel size (FITS only) 3.8
    CCD-TEMP CCD cooler setpoint [C] -5
    CCD-GAIN gain setting 0
    CCD-OFFSET offset setting 10
    WINDOW window (subraster) geometry
    BINNING CCD binning 1
    NIGHT start/stop sun elevation [deg] -9
    ZWOHOST 'zwoserver' hostname (IP number) for night time observations
    NFILTERS number of used filters. Note: The 'n' in the following 4 keywords runs from {1..NFILTERS} 0 (no filter wheel)
    FILTERNAMEn one letter filter name for the FITS filename X
    FILTERNUMBERn position in filter wheel (0 based).
    EXPTIME_DOWNn exposure time [s] with filter 'n' and moon down. 1
    EXPTIME_UPn exposure time [s] with filter 'n' and moon up. 1
    PERIOD exposure sequence interval [s] 60
    BAADEHOST hostname of the Baade TCS (not used if empty)
    CLAYHOST hostname of the Clay TCS (not used if empty)
    DUPONTHOST hostname of the DuPont TCS (not used if empty)
    DIMMHOST hostname of the C-DIMM (not used if empty)
    DAYHOST 'zwoserver' host name for daytime (color) observations. Note: The "filter" in the filename will be 'Y'.
    DAY-GAIN daytime CCD (color) gain setting 0
    DAY-OFFSET daytime CCD (color) offset setting 10
    DAY-EXPTIME daytime CCD (color) exposure time 0.1


    TCP/IP Server

    Protocol

  • All communications are initiated by the client.
  • Commands are terminated by a 'LF' (0x0a) character.
  • Responses are terminated by a 'LF' (0x0a) character.
  • Command List

    command: version
    response: version-string
    eg "0009"

    command: quit
    response: ok
    Terminates CASCA scheduler program.



    Christoph C. Birk, 2019-07-29, Carnegie Observatories